Last night, the Japanese football team won against the Australian team, and gained the first prize in the Asian Cup. The Asian Cup was held in Doha, Qatar, which is far away from Japan. Thus, the final match started at midnight and ended at 2:30 a.m. Japan time, and I watched the complete match on live TV.
The match was really exciting. This was partly because the match was the very final match in the Asian Cup, meaning that the winner of the match would become the Asian champion. In addition, the match itself was interesting. Japanese players often attacked the Australian goal, while the Japanese goalkeeper, Mr. Kawashima, performed miracle saves many times.
The Japanese team seemed not to play well in the first half of the match. However, the team manager Zaccheroni, who conducted the operation of the Japanese team, changed some of the players and the formation of the team in the last half of the match. His decision hit the mark, and made for a great result.
When I was single, I did not pay much attentions to football games at all. One of the reasons was that I did not possess a TV set in my home. I had been living without a TV set for about 10 years, starting from 19 years old and until 28 years old. Those days were good days. Reading novels was one of the greatest pleasures of my private life.
However, after my marriage, my wife insisted that a TV set was one of the necessary home electrical appliances, so that we had a TV set installed. I started to watch soccor games after I watched a match of the Argentinian team against another team (I forgot the country name) in the World Cup 2010. The quality of the Argentinian team was high and I realized that football was one of the best entertainments of daily life.
The other reason why I am currently interested in watching football games is probably that football requires both personal skills and team power. Football players have to not only have high physical skills, but also cooperate with each other in order to win games. I am currently working with many team members (including my colleagues, clients, subcontractors, and bosses) in my business life, and one of the necessary conditions for the success of my current missions is team power. The Japanese football team provides me with a masterpiece of an organization’s power.
Anyway, I will follow the performance of the Japanese football team in the future.
I enjoyed this game too. The goal was super beautiful also, but I liked the work of the goal keeper. He looked like a real guardian. I guess TV set is a necessary equipment to reduce the tension of family relationship, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe goal keeper Kawashima was really impressive not only in his performance but also in his apearance.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the television played an important role in my home, for example, for the duration of the Asian Cup or the World Cup. We could share exciting time. In addition, I learnt that the comedy program M-1 Grand Prix was so interesting one this winter. Given that I had a total negative attitude toward every TV program when I was single, I can say that I could broadened my horizon.
It is interesting how the social and cultural backgrounds really shape our behaviors. When I lived abroad in the US or in Japan, I have never had a TV pretty much as you, and never cared much for it. Also, like you I preferred to read books. However, there was one thing that always made me use the internet for: To listen or watch to football matches which are so part of my cultural background. Even when I was living in Japan I would have my alarm clock set to wake me up at 3 or 4 AM to watch the matches of my favorite club or of the Portuguese national team.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I forgot to mention that I have arrived to your blog through reading your review of "Norwegian Wood" at IMDB. Is this book similar to "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel". I read "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel" when I was living in Japan and it was probably the most disturbing book that I have ever read.
ReplyDeletePumba,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wise comment.
I agree what you would like to mention. Football games, especially the Japanese national team versus other national teams, really excite me. I think that this fact relates to my nationality. I have never hoped that other national teams would win the Japanese national team when I am watching international matches. I have been always on the side of the Japanese team.
As you know, Japan is surrounded on all sides by sea, and the monoracial nation. I think the geographical and racial features must deepen our nationality.
Even though the development of the Internet has facilitated the transmission of information over national borders for the last decade, our nationality remains to be existing. This fact relieves me.
I know "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle”, but I have never read it. For me, I gained deep impressions from “Norwegian Wood”. The novel is still one of my bests.
Anyway, have you heard the speech delivered by Haruki Murakami in Catalonia this year? The speed can be obtained from http://yagian.blogspot.com/2011/06/haruki-murakamis-speech-on-catalonia.html.
On the final note, I find very interesting in your blog. Good photos. Still now, I often visit the Ueno park.
Mr. Takanori,
ReplyDeleteIt is a normal feeling to want that your national team always wins, even if it is not possible. After all, we always get attached to the place, region and nation that saw us come to the world. In my case, I am a citizen of the world, and not very of a nationalist and not really the typical Portuguese, but at the same time I know and respect my origins. The thing is, I like to live among other cultures and admire the social dynamics in them always knowing that even if I am not a roman, in Rome be a roman. I am making this point to say that when living in other countries I know my identity, and I respect the identity of the place, the same way I all like visitors to come to my country and respect the identity of my country. Now the homogeneity of a country can be a theme for a long discussion. Let me say that I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, a homogeneous society facilitates consensus, stability and reinforces the status quo, but on the other hand, it also detrimental to innovation, creativity, and openness to the world. Like all things, there is always a good and bad point to everything.
I think I will buy the book "Norwegian wood" soon and probably read it during my vacations. I will also see the speech of Murakami in Catalonia. It seemed that this speech impressed you very much.
Also, thank you very much for your kind words towards my blog. Ueno park is a nice place in Tokyo, although when I was living in Japan, I was based in Sendai, and only sporadically I could appreciate Tokyo.
p.s.: I would like to add your blog to my blog reading list. I hope that is ok with you.
Pumba,
ReplyDeleteA citizen of the world, sounds good. If everybody could think themselves as a citizen of the world, there would be no wars. However, the reality is what we are seeing.
I have already bought "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel" the other day, and will read it next week. I have a business trip to Thailand next week, so that during the flight, I have a good quantity of time.
Oh, thank you for adding the URL address of this blog on your website.
Takanori
Mr. Takanori
ReplyDeleteMurakami's speech is absolutely fantastic, as always Murakami's clear view of world events is amazing, always bordering between reality and the "novelist dream world" and at the same time always providing a sharp and transparent view of events. This is a speech that goes way beyond talking about energy. It focused on government, companies and our own attitudes and behaviors as consumers and as citizens.
Also, interesting how some Japanese cultural characteristics are similar to other cultures in the world, and probably these cultures are somewhat oblivious of this.
I hope you enjoy reading the "Wind-Up Bird Chronicle". When you finish reading it let me know what your opinion about it is. Thanks!